1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct communication interconnect system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an interface between a connector and a communications card in a computer system.
2. Related Technology
A. Data Transmission
The field of transmission of data by phone lines or network cables is a rapidly expanding field. Users of personal computers in particular are finding such practice to be of great value.
For example, there are numerous public and private networks and databases which store data or programs. Absent the ability to send and receive data over telephone lines through a modem, a user is relegated to relying upon the exchange of discs or tapes in order to receive data suitable for use with their computer.
Similarly, companies performing tasks that are integrated are aided by local area networks ("LANs") which permit personnel to exchange electronically retrievable data. The ability to freely transfer data and information from one computer to another computer over a telephone line may dramatically increase productivity and reduce overall production time.
To translate the binary code utilized by a computer into signals capable of being transmitted over the telephone lines, modems have been developed to translate and reconfigure binary signals into analog signals capable of being transmitted over telephone lines. For conversion of signals to take place, a modem must be placed between the computer generating the binary signals and the telephone line capable of carrying the analog signals.
Typically, in today's practice, a modem at the transmitting computer end of a telephone line receives binary digital data from the computer and converts the binary code received from the computer into modem frequency signals. These modem frequency signals are then transmitted over the telephone lines to a receiving modem at the receiving computer.
The modem at the recipient's end then converts the modem frequency signal back to binary digital data characters and inputs the data characters to the input port of the receiving computer.
The ubiquity of the telephone and the need for interactive systems throughout the world have caused standards to be established for the components of a telephonic system. Standardization allows telephone systems and devices using those systems to be interchangeable. The components of the telephone that are most thoroughly standardized are physical/electrical media connectors.
Physical/electrical media connectors are used by almost all telephone companies throughout the world for many applications, the most important of which is interconnection of telephones with telephone lines. For this reason, stringent standardization of connectors is required if compatibility and interactivity is to be realized.
One popular physical/electrical media connector used in the United States of America is the RJ-11 6-position miniature modular plug physical/electrical media connector. The RJ-11 is used between the telephone line and the telephone itself.
Unfortunately, because of the physical and electrical differences between the many pins of the peripheral ports associated with the central processing unit of a computer and the 6 pins of the RJ-11, direct physical or electrical connection of the RJ-11 to the computer is not possible.
Consequently, it has been found necessary to employ modems or similar input/output devices or cards to effect communication between computers and telephone lines. Modems reconfigure binary data from the central processing unit of the computer as received through the multi-pin peripheral port. The reconfigured data is then transmitted in analog form through the RJ-11 physical/electrical media connector into the telephone line.
A problem associated with a communication card capable of direct communication with a miniature modular plug physical/electrical media connector as well as with traditional standard connectors, however, is that upon plugging and unplugging of the media connector, the contact wires of the socket within the card sometimes become embedded or misaligned with the alignment comb structure of the plug. Inserting the plug into the socket or removing the plug from the socket can bend or even irreparably damage the contact wires.
This problem is further compounded by the variation among different manufacturers of the plug. Some plugs have excessive draft angle on the sides of the alignment comb structure. The draft angle makes the bottom of the alignment comb structure narrower than the top of the alignment comb structure. The draft angle and the variability of the plugs increases the occurrence of bent or damaged contact wires.
Attempts have been made to remedy the problem by putting a radius on the end of the contact wires. The ends of the wires, however, still snag or embed on the sides of the alignment structure of the plug and were bent, broken or otherwise irreparably damaged. It would, therefore, be an advancement in the art to provide a communications card capable of direct connection with a physical/electrical media connector that has electrical contact wires that will not so easily become embedded or snagged in the alignment comb structure of a media connector.